Ethan Yu stood motionless at the edge of the hospital bed, his head pounding, a cold sweat breaking out along his back. The way Hailey had just screamed at him—the way she looked at him like he was a monster crawling out of her worst nightmare—was something he would never forget.
And now, standing at the door with an iron gaze and overwhelming authority, was Old Master Hai.
"I swear, Grandpa," Ethan said tightly, trying to keep his voice calm. "I didn't do anything to Hailey. I don't know why she's like this. I don't understand either."
He rubbed his temples as frustration and confusion churned in his chest. "I've only seen Lin Xin'er a few times. And every time, it was strictly professional. She's my subordinate. That's all."
But his explanations fell on deaf ears.
Hai Zhiyuan stepped forward, his face shadowed with suspicion and fury. His eyes bore straight into Ethan's soul. "If you did nothing, then why is my granddaughter like this? Why would she scream like that? Why would she say she doesn't want to love you anymore?"
His voice lowered, deadly. "No one can fake that kind of pain, Ethan. No one."
Ethan opened his mouth, but the words stuck in his throat.
The pain in Hailey's eyes had been too real. Too raw. Too deep.
Hai Zhiyuan narrowed his eyes, his voice tight with controlled rage. "No wonder she insisted on a divorce. I thought you two were just emotionally incompatible, but now I see—there's more. Much more."
He turned his full fury on Ethan. "So that's what you've been doing behind our backs. You didn't just fall out of love with her—you broke her."
Ethan's expression darkened with disbelief and helplessness. "That's not true! Grandpa, I… I was cold to her before, I admit that. But I never hurt her. And now—I'm not that man anymore. I've changed."
His fists clenched tightly at his sides. "I have nothing going on with Lin Xin'er. Nothing romantic. Nothing inappropriate."
Hai Zhiyuan didn't answer right away. He studied Ethan for a long moment, and though Ethan didn't appear to be lying, that wasn't enough to explain Hailey's condition.
No, what he saw just now in Hailey's eyes—was heartbreak born of something far more brutal than a cold shoulder.
He turned to his granddaughter instead.
"Hailey," he said gently, his voice a world apart from the sharp tone he'd used with Ethan. "Tell Grandpa what happened. Did they hurt you? Did they betray you? Don't be afraid—whatever it is, I'll stand by you. I'll make it right."
Hailey had finally regained her composure.
Earlier, she'd been completely lost—caught between the nightmare of her previous life and the cruelty of this one. Her emotions had overwhelmed her. Her soul had cracked wide open.
But now, hearing her grandfather's voice, that one steady, loving voice that had never wavered in any lifetime… her heart broke all over again.
Of all the people in her life, only he had ever truly loved her unconditionally.
In her last life, she had ignored his advice, distanced herself from his care, and in the end… it had cost them both everything.
She had loved Ethan blindly and paid the price with her blood.
Now here he was again, telling her he'd fight the world for her.
Her throat tightened.
Without a word, she got off the bed and ran into Hai Zhiyuan's arms, throwing herself into his embrace like a little girl seeking protection from a nightmare.
She cried.
Not hysterically, but in soft, painful sobs that made everyone in the room go still.
Hai Zhiyuan wrapped his arms around her and held her close, anger bubbling to the surface again. If he had even the slightest suspicion that Ethan had harmed her in any way, there would be no forgiveness.
He stroked her hair gently. "Don't cry, sweetheart. Just tell Grandpa what happened, okay? Let me take care of it. Let me protect you."
But Hailey only shook her head. "It's… it's nothing, Grandpa."
"Nothing?" His voice sharpened again. "Then why were you sobbing like your soul was being ripped apart? Why do you look like you just came back from hell?"
Hailey didn't answer. She didn't know how to explain a pain that spanned lifetimes. A hurt that wasn't just physical, or even emotional—but spiritual. A pain that had lived inside her heart long before she'd ever woken up in this body.
The Ethan of this life might not have done anything yet—but the Ethan of her past had destroyed her. And those scars were still bleeding.
So what could she possibly say?
"I'm okay now," she whispered instead.
Hai Zhiyuan's eyes narrowed. "You're not okay. I know you, Hailey. I raised you. You don't cry unless something has shattered you."
He turned to Ethan once more, voice thunderous. "What did you do?!"
"I didn't do anything!" Ethan's voice cracked from strain. "Please, believe me. I don't know why she's in pain, but I swear—I'm not the cause."
Hailey finally raised her head. "Grandpa, it's really not what you think. No one hurt me. Please… just let it go."
But Hai Zhiyuan wasn't a fool.
Some things didn't need to be said out loud. Some wounds didn't leave visible marks—but they were just as deadly.
He looked at her again. "Hailey, do you still want a divorce?"
The question caught her off guard.
She hesitated.
Ethan's expression froze.
And then…
Hai Zhiyuan straightened his back. "If you want to end this marriage, I will support you. Completely. Whatever you decide, Grandpa will make it happen. No one—absolutely no one—has the right to hurt my granddaughter. Not in this life, not in any life."
Hailey's eyes widened slightly. Her lips trembled, but she didn't answer.
She hadn't expected that.
Not this straightforward, unconditional support. Not when she had ruined everything in her last life. Not when guilt still clung to her ribs like a parasite.
Ethan, too, was stunned. "Grandpa, no—please wait! This is just a misunderstanding. Hailey and I—we can fix this."
"Fix it?" Zhang Yu, Hailey's mother, finally stepped in, voice laced with panic. "Dad, they're a married couple. Couples fight. Couples argue. That doesn't mean you jump straight to divorce. They probably just had a disagreement, nothing serious."
But Hai Zhiyuan shot her a sharp look. "Nothing serious? You saw her! Do you think this is how someone acts after a simple marital spat?"
"But—"
"No buts. If Hailey says she wants out, then we're ending it. I will not let her suffer a single day longer for this so-called marriage."
Ethan turned to Hailey, desperation thick in his voice. "Hailey… please don't do this. Talk to me. Just tell me what I did wrong—I'll fix it, I promise."
But Hailey couldn't answer.
Because in her mind, there were still echoes of those other Ethan's cruel words. Still fragments of blood, betrayal, and death.
And even if this Ethan was innocent—could she ever look at him without seeing that nightmare?